Integrated topology management method for storage and IP networks

• US 20040064545A1
• Filed: 09/26/2002
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyake, Shigeru
• Granted Patent: US 7,243,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1008 in individual solid state devices G06F11/1004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0853 by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A set of integrated management tools for managing network elements and storage elements within a computer system is provided. The set of integrated management tools includes a SNMP manager module, a management map creation module, a storage network topology information creation module, an IP storage configuration module, a FC configuration module, a RAID configuration module, and a HBA configuration module. In one exemplary aspect, these modules are deployed in a distributed manner within a networked system having a number of nodes. Each node includes an IP server farm and a storage sub-system or network, such as, a SAN. Some of the nodes respectively include a local storage management (LSM) server. Some of the modules within the set of integrated management tools reside on the LSM server. For example, the SNMP manager module, portions of the management map creation module, the storage network topology information creation module, the IP storage configuration module, the FC configuration module, the RAID configuration module, and the HBA configuration module may reside on the LSM server. One node within the networked system includes a global storage management (GSM) server. Portions of the management map creation module resides on the GSM server. The GSM server communicates with the various LSM servers to facilitate control and management of the various nodes within the networked system.

Claims

1. A system for managing a plurality of network functions and a plurality of storage functions within a computer system, comprising:

a local storage management server configured to collect device and topology information from a plurality of devices being managed by the local storage management server, the plurality of devices including a plurality of network elements and a plurality of storage elements; and

a global storage management server configured to receive the device and topology information from the local storage management server and display the device and topology information for viewing and management purposes;

wherein the local storage management server communicates with the global storage management server to forward the device and topology information via a computer network.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein by using the device and topology information, a user via the global storage management server is able to direct the local storage management server to manage one of the plurality of devices.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the device and topology information is capable of being displayed by the global storage management server in a plurality of views.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein a management application designed to manage at least one of the plurality of devices is capable of being launched from at least one of the plurality of views.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the plurality of views includes a physical connection view;

and

wherein the physical connection view displays information relating to physical connections interconnecting selected ones of the plurality of devices.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the plurality of views includes a domain view and a zone view;

wherein the domain view displays information relating to a logical connection interconnecting selected ones of the plurality of network elements; and

wherein the zone view displays information relating to a logical connection interconnecting selected ones of the plurality of storage elements.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein the plurality of views includes a communication view;

and

wherein the communication view displays information relating to possible communication session connections between pairs of devices.

8. The system of claim 3 wherein the plurality of views includes a session view;

and

wherein the session view displays information relating to currently active sessions between pairs of devices.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of network elements includes a server farm.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of storage elements includes a storage area network.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of storage elements includes a RAID.

12. An integrated management system for managing a plurality of network and storage functions within a computer system, comprising:

a plurality of nodes, each node having a local storage management server configured to manage a plurality of devices within that node and collect device and topology information from the plurality of devices, the plurality of devices including a plurality of network elements and a plurality of storage elements; and

a global storage management server configured to receive the device and topology information from each node and integrate and display the received device and topology information for viewing and management purposes;

wherein each node communicates with the global storage management server to forward the device and topology information via a computer network.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein by using the integrated device and topology information, a user via the global storage management server is able to direct a local storage management server associated with a desired node to manage one of the plurality of devices within that node.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the integrated device and topology information is capable of being displayed by the global storage management server in a plurality of views.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein a management application designed to manage at least one of the plurality of devices within a node is capable of being launched from at least one of the plurality of views.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the plurality of views includes a physical connection view;

and

wherein the physical connection view displays information relating to physical connections interconnecting selected ones of the plurality of devices within a node.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the plurality of views includes a domain view and a zone view;

wherein the domain view displays information relating to a logical connection interconnecting selected ones of the plurality of network elements within a node; and

wherein the zone view displays information relating to a logical connection interconnecting selected ones of the plurality of storage elements within the node.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the plurality of views includes a communication view;

and

wherein the communication view displays information relating to possible communication session connections between pairs of devices within a node.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the plurality of views includes a session view;

and

wherein the session view displays information relating to currently active sessions between pairs of devices within a node.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of network elements includes a server farm.

21. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of storage elements includes a storage area network.

22. The system of claim 12 wherein the plurality of storage devices includes a RAID.

23. A storage network management application designed to function in cooperation with a network management system having a plurality of network management functions, comprising:

a network management system bridge module configured to provide a plurality of SNMP functions and network mapping functions to manage a plurality of network elements;

a storage network topology information creation module configured to collect and manage network topology information relating to a plurality of storage elements; and

a plurality of configuration modules, each capable of being invoked to manage a storage element based on the network topology information, the plurality of configuration modules including;

an IP storage configuration module configured to manage information relating to IP storage configuration;

a FC configuration module configured to manage information relating to Fibre Channel storage configuration;

a RAID configuration module configured to manage information relating to RAID device configuration; and

a HBA configuration module configured to manage information relating to HBA device configuration.

24. The storage network management application of claim 23 further comprising:

an application programmable interface configured to interact with the network management system in order to utilize the plurality of network management functions.

25. The storage network management application of claim 23 further comprising:

a local storage management server having resided thereon the IP storage configuration module, the FC configuration module, the RAID configuration module and the HBA configuration module; and

a global storage management server having resided thereon the network management system bridge module and the storage network topology information creation module;

wherein the local storage management server is located within a node, the node further including the plurality of network elements and storage elements; and

wherein the network topology information is forwarded by the local storage management server to the global storage management server for viewing and management purposes.

26. The storage network management application of claim 25 wherein by using the network topology information, a user via the global storage management server is able to direct the local storage management server to manage one of the plurality of network elements and storage elements.

27. The storage network management application of claim 25 wherein the network topology information is capable of being displayed by the global storage management server in a plurality of views.

28. The storage network management application of claim 27 wherein the plurality of views includes a physical connection view, a zone view or a domain view, a communication view and a session view.

29. A method for managing a plurality of nodes within a computer system, each of the plurality of nodes having a plurality of devices including a plurality of network elements and a plurality of storage elements, the method comprising:

having a local storage management server at each node collect device and topology information from the plurality of devices within that node;

forwarding the device and topology information from each node to a global storage management server;

directing the global storage management server to integrate the device and topology information forwarded from each node; and

directing the global storage management server to display the integrated device and topology information for viewing and management purposes.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

permitting a user to view the integrated device and topology information; and

permitting the user to use the global storage management server to direct a local storage management server associated with a desired node to manage one of the plurality of devices within that node based on the integrated device and topology information.

31. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

directing the global storage management server to display the integrated device and topology information in a plurality of views.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

launching a management application designed to manage at least one of the plurality of devices within a node from at least one of the plurality of views.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the plurality of views includes a physical connection view;

and

wherein the physical connection view displays information relating to physical connections interconnecting selected ones of the plurality of devices within a node.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein the plurality of views includes a domain view and a zone view;

wherein the domain view displays information relating to a logical connection interconnecting selected ones of the plurality of network elements within a node; and

wherein the zone view displays information relating to a logical connection interconnecting selected ones of the plurality of storage elements within the node.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein the plurality of views includes a communication view;

and

wherein the communication view displays information relating to possible communication session connections between pairs of devices within a node.

36. The method of claim 31 wherein the plurality of views includes a session view;

and

wherein the session view displays information relating to currently active sessions between pairs of devices within a node.

37. The method of claim 29 wherein the plurality of network elements includes a server farm.

38. The method of claim 29 wherein the plurality of storage elements includes a storage area network.

39. The method of claim 29 wherein the plurality of storage devices includes a RAID.